By Jay Mwamba

NATIONAL CUPSThree-time winners Pancyprian Freedoms knocked off Hellenic foes Doxa FC 6-1 in a U.S. Amateur Cup tie on Randalls Island to advance to the State semi-finals of the national competition on Nov. 5.

Kareem Joachim had Doxa’s lone response from a penalty won by Nick Von Egypt.

Standing between Pancyprian and another title match with New York Greek Americans in the State final is the Nov. 2 New York Athletic Club-Kosmos United winner.

NYAC hammered Kosmos 5-2 in the Manning Cup first round on Travers Island two weeks ago. They travel to Long Island this time.

LEGACYPancyprian were U.S. Amateur titlists in 2008, 2010 and 2011. Greek Americans triumphed in 2014 and ousted current holders Lansdowne Bhoys from this season’s competition 7-6 on PKs.

DIVISON ONE

MAKEOVERDoxa coach Paul Grafas, a former NYGA star in his days, reshuffled his pack after the shellacking by Pancyprian. The result was a respectable 3-2 defeat at Joseph F. Fosina Field.

Noah Kossoff, Laurin Vogel and Carlo Zanetti connected for NYAC who defended tenaciously. “[Their] defense was unbeatable in the first half and made four consecutive goal line clearances on a single play,” said Doxa manager Foti Bouklis.

Dylan Williams – from a move involving Patrick Alvarez and Von Egypt – and George Najim replied for Doxa.

NYAC [3-2-1, 11] moved into second place on the log, a point behind the Shamrocks who did not play.

THREE-PRONG
In the opener at Fosina field, Bill Saporito’s CSL Reserve champs made it three league wins in a row, with a 3-2 decision over Doxa ‘B.’

Antreas Michael leveled for Doxa at one point on Peter Tsioumas’ assist. Alex Kiourenidis had the other goal.

BIG JOENYGA left back Joe Ruesgen keyed the Greeks’ 4-0 defeat of Zum Schneider at the Metropolitan Oval.

The Scotsman floated in a free kick that Marius Flateboe headed home. Ruesgen then served a corner that John Sabal converted. Colin Murphy’s one-two with Tyler Botte yielded a goal for the former before Junior Rosario beat his man and blasted in the fourth.

“Man of Match Joe Ruesgen at left back for us,” summed up NYGA technical director Richard Nuttall.

The reserve affair played out differently with Ceasar Lopez [two], Tiberio Ferrarese and Rob Manukian leading Zum to a 4-1 romp. Enea Cnaj replied for the Greek seconds.

“Our coach was forced into [goalkeeping] duty and tried his best,” said Jimmy Shalom.

“We played a very good first half and were gutted to be trailing 1-0,” bemoaned CPR’s Eli Vovsha. “Second half we were poor, but Danny Pinto was outstanding in goal with multiple acrobatic saves.”

His 10-man reserves played a blinder in a stunning 4-0 triumph.

“Karim Sultanov saved a penalty after we had a player sent off denying a goal, and despite playing with 10 men for 60 minutes, Sjors van Eck [two], Carson Pryor, and Shohei Shimokawa dismantled the opposition,” Vovsha reported.

Ivan Cotelea had two assists.

PERFECT BHOYS
Also in the top flight, Mike Fernandez [pen.], Danny Suspiro and John Aherne extended the Lansdowne Bhoys reserves’ one hundred percent record to four matches with goals in a 3-0 shutout of Manhattan Kickers ‘B’ at Tibbetts Brook.

“A great team performance,” said coach Sean Kenny, whose side is three points behind an equally flawless Shamrocks ‘B’ team, albeit with a game in hand.

DIVISION TWO

JERSEY GRITSecond half goals by Tom Hogue [67th] and Cory Chaplin [77th] hauled Hoboken FC out of a two-goal hole against Polonia Gwardia to earn the South leaders a 2-2 tie at Laurel Hill Park.

“Hoboken was outplayed for the first 60 minutes and was deservedly down 2-0,” noted GM Bill Marth. “But we kept fighting and scrapped our way back for a well-earned point in a tough match between two quality sides.”

Now 5-0-1 [16], the draw ended the Jersey side’s perfect record.

Hoboken’s seconds won 2-0, thanks to Joe Kelly’s first goal for the club [30th] and Mark Wallis [54th].

Vazquez and Matt Jennings connected in the Iberia reserves’ 2-1 decision in the first fixture. Alacrom Derek answered for Panatha.

Iberia’s second place ‘A’ side doubled that tally, running off 4-1 winners and cutting Hoboken’s lead to three points. Chello Russo netted a hat trick – including twice from the penalty spot. Jose Elias was the other scorer.

Jordan O’Donaghue had two assists while Mikolenko set up Gallagher’s winner.

“What a match!” Exclaimed Charles von Rosenberg. “After a 2-2 first half, the second half was very tense. Japan had a goal ruled out for offside at 75 minutes and Mark knocked home the winner with ten minutes to play.”

Kenmji Nakamura and Hitoshi Mori were the Japanese scorers.

Danny Rivas’ four-goal outburst in the curtain raiser upped his early season tally to 12. Rich Clements had the other goal in the Williamsburg reserves’ 5-0 triumph.

Tanner Bone had two assists with Turner Baker and Gaurav Hingorani recording one apiece.

SEESAWAt Tibbetts Brook, Lansdowne’s metro side battled back from a goal down to lead BW Gottschee 2-1. However, the visitors snatched an equalizer that denied the Bhoys full points.

Richie Morgan met Martin Sutton’s cross perfectly to cancel out Francisco ‘Paco’ Osorio’s opener for Gottschee. Then Johnny Power headed home a Keith St. Ledger free kick to put the Bhoys ahead.

“But we then conceded a very disappointing set piece ourselves in which their player was unmarked,” rued Bhoys’ Metro coach Eugene O’Driscoll. “The game was played at a frenetic pace and both teams had great chances to win in the last 10 minutes.”

“Both teams hit the post in the second half and Glenn Whelan hit the underside of the cross bar and the ball bounced down on the line and out -- no goal line technology available,” noted Gottschee boss John Ryding. “Ending at 2-2 was probably a fair result to a very spirited contest.”

FLASH FORWARDA 3-2 decision over game Homenetmen in a hard fought tussle on Randalls Island was enough to propel Flushing FC into joint first place atop Metro Two North.

This after previous sole leaders Missile FC slipped 4-3 to Inter New York SA at Corporal Thompson Park.

Flushing’s James Gerbier struck twice while captain Cris Hain Prada had the other goal. Man of the Match honors went to youngster Jahlil Sallet for his two assists.

“I gotta say, physical games are very tricky because strategy can go right out the window when you start to play on a physical level,” observed manager Ryan Wiedman. “It takes a lot of heart to win 50/50s, and keep composure when getting knocked around, and I am proud of my guys.”

Jo Valentin netted all three Missile goals in the 4-3 setback to Inter New York that allowed Flushing to join them on the 13 point mark.

TIGHT RACE
Grenadier Zenith’s 5-3 trouncing of short-handed SC Eintracht at Bushwick Inlet kept them level with Inter New York on points [12] and both are now joint second.

“Much improved, very poised and aggressive; they have a bona fide striker playing up front,” he said. “We were tied 1-1 in the early minutes. It was a good game.”

His Eintracht opposite, Mark Lesser noted that he played with 10 men for 90 minutes. “Guess an 8 a.m. start is too early for these young guys,” he quipped.

HITMANSitting innocuously in mid-table in Metro Two North, rookie side Kelmendi boasts one of the most prolific finishers in the CSL in Naim Kurtovic.

The former NY Dinamo hitman kept up his goal-per-game run since returning to the CSL with the winner in a 2-1 result over Beyond FC on Randalls Island. It was his 10th strike in five games in all competitions.

Ylli Sufaj had the other goal. Oz scored for Beyond Metro.

SOUTH RACEA point separates Metro Two South pacesetters Barnstonworth Rovers and number two Sons of Queens after six weeks.

Rovers were emphatic at Bushwick Inlet in a 4-1 thumping of FC Partizani that upped their stats to 5-0-1 [16].

John Powell crossed for Joaco Lynch to head home. Former Partizani Toby Obi -- as he’d guaranteed -- punished his old buddies with a superb individual goal. And Jorge Espanol netted twice, thanks to Lynch.

Partizani got a late consolation.

Marco Thiem Kaiser was the Gateway scorer in a 3-1 loss to Sons of Queens, who are now 5-0 [15] on Rovers’ heels.

HAIL MARVIN!Javier Caamano, coach of third place NY Galicia hailed goalie Marvin Bowen for his exploits in the 2-1 squeaker over Mola SC at the Verrazano Sports Complex.

“Another outstanding effort by Marvin to hold the win for us after Mola SC came close to tying the game multiple times,” remarked Caamano.

In other Metro Two action, NYC Afghanistan and Richmond County tied 0-0, while AO Brooklyn succumbed 3-1 to Brooklyn Bound.

OVER-30

ORANGE CRUSHCPR Orange are the latest side to be crushed by rampant Manhattan Kickers Premier. They were hit for seven with no reply at East River Park by the Over-30 East leaders.

MVP Ardian Hasko set up Khouri Mullings for the opener [10th] and then proceeded to rattle in a first half hat trick [15th, 20th, 30th]. Russ Osur and Marko Loncar [twice] had the assists.

Mullings [50th, 80th] and Alex Petrovic [65th] finished off CPR in the second half as Kickers made it six wins out of six [18 pts.]

“There was nothing much for [me] to do in this match as the stellar defense kept CPR off the score sheet, helping to maintain the best goal differential in the division,” noted player-manager Mike Fitzgerald, Kickers shot-stopper.

JOHNNY BLITZ
Three points back, Johnny McGeeney banged in four goals as second place Shamrocks nailed CPR Old Boys 5-0 on Randalls Island.

Paddy McCarry’s lads produced a second half blitz after a goalless first half.

McGeeney drew the proverbial first blood off Aidan Morton’s assist. New Bhoy Shane Moore fired home a Mark Finn pass to make it 2-0, before McGeeney got his second on the hour, off Kevin Walsh’s brilliant pass.

Two minutes later, McGeeney completed his hat trick, courtesy of Moore. His fourth goal was set up by Walsh in the 82nd minute.

“Best team performance all year – we were outstanding in the second half,” said coach McCarry. “We are finally starting to click and if we play like this we are going to be very difficult to beat. [And] with Johnny on this form, if he gets a chance, it's a goal.

“Big win over the second place team as we prepare to play Pancyprian [this] Friday night at St. John’s for the Over-30 U.S. National Cup,” said Tom Bouklis.

HELLENIC DOUBLEThat Over-30 cup tie kicks off at 9 p.m. with the winners advancing to the regionals. It will be the first of a Hellenic double derby with the Greeks and Pancyprian set to clash again at St. John’s, 7 p.m. this Sunday, in a CSL Over-30 fixture.

FIVE STAR TASOFor their part, Pancyprian warmed up for the Greek tussle with an 8-2 blowout of CPR Grays in which Taso Polydefkis bagged five goals.